The house lights dimmed and left one spotlight that shone at the center of the gym. A huge milestone for Hillsborough as family and students gathered together to celebrate the first girls wrestling senior night. Seven senior girls took their turn to walk across the mat accompanied by their loved ones, families and teammates. The ceremony celebrated the end of a season while also honoring the foundation of the program. The boys senior night followed and smiles gleamed around the gymnasium.
“When I first joined the team I felt like there was a lot of support and attention but now there is just so much more because we have a full team,” senior captain Charlida Cimino said. “Getting to win duals [one high school versus another] and be one of the best teams in the state is really exciting.”
The girls took to the mat first and set the tone for the evening, proving exactly why they wrestle. They dominated from the opening whistle; Girls wrestling won 46-22 over Princeton. Wins from Seniors Charlida Cimino and Jayla Hidalgo set a good starting example for the rest of the team. The rest of the girls all won due to forfeit from the other team.
The boys were eager to follow through with a win for them. With the feverish energy in the gym, complete sweeps were in their future. Senior Gabriel Luna provided the spark Hillsborough needed, throwing the Raiders on the board with an incredible pin 6-0. A pair of forfeits padded the lead to make it 18-0. However, the Raiders did not let up. Junior Ryan Spinelli gutted out a win 5-3 decision, contributing a 33-12 cushion. Junior Owen Miller contributed to keep the score out of reach, pushing Hillsborough’s lead to 39-26.
“To me the wrestling team is like family to me. The wrestlers on the team pushed me to be my best everyday and made being on the team for these last two years worth it,” Luna said.
The boys wrestling team celebrated the night with their 39-29 win, sealing a victory over Princeton.
The night was a memorable one for the Raiders. Both teams were able to wrestle with this team for one of the last times, looking towards the post-season with momentum at their backs.
